Latest news with #EricStubbs
CBC
29-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
OPS expanding footprint to better serve Ottawa's south end
Social Sharing The Ottawa Police Service will soon be implementing a new deployment model which would divide the city into four districts — east, central, west and south. The project is expected to cost an estimated $11.4 million over three years as the service will be hiring 63 new officers and civilian professionals to accommodate the expansion. The goal of the restructuring is to better serve all corners of the city, according to Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs. "We have such distinct and unique needs in the 24 wards that make up the City of Ottawa and it was obvious to me that we were not serving some areas of the city in the way that we should," Stubbs told members of the media Monday afternoon. More notably, Stubbs says the growth of Ottawa's south end has been rapid over the last decade, and service from OPS needs to match those demands. "The number one thing that I hear [from communities] is we want more of you. We want you in our neighborhoods [and] more present," Stubbs said. The district restructuring will allow for greater accountability, better response times from OPS and deeper engagement with communities, according to an Ottawa police report prepared for the Ottawa Police Service Board. Stubbs noted the restructuring comes at a time when the service is seeing an increased volume in calls. Roll out plan Each of the four districts will be led by a superintendent who will be responsible for neighbourhood policing and frontline patrol operations. The districts will be anchored by an integrated neighbourhood team which will include community intake relationship specialists, crime and research analysts, neighbourhood resource teams, community police officers, youth officers and traffic officers, the report said. In addition to the 63 new positions being added to the service, the report states 92 existing positions have been repurposed from the current structure to support the future model. Due to budget constraints and available resources, the report states the new district model will roll out from 2026 to 2028, splitting up the hiring periods and spending. Police say they will be conducting a comprehensive analysis to finalize the zone boundaries to accurately determine the staffing needs. "The district model represents a transformative step forward for the Ottawa Police Service — one that is rooted in community input, operational insight, and a clear vision for more responsive, accountable, and locally focused policing," the report reads.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- CTV News
Ottawa police bringing in officers from other jurisdictions for Canada Day duty
The Ottawa Police Service will be bringing in reinforcements from other jurisdictions for Canada Day celebrations. The main Canada Day activities will be at LeBreton Flats and on Parliament Hill, with community events being held across the city. 'There are multiple celebration sites throughout Ottawa, which means a city-wide footprint,' Chief Eric Stubbs told the Ottawa Police Services Board Monday night. 'Downtown will be busy, but so will the rest of the city and we're working with Canadian Heritage, the City of Ottawa, the RCMP, OPP, Gatineau police and other police agencies that will be coming into town. So, no doubt that extra officers will be here to ensure we have the resources that we need.' Officers will be enforcing road closures around LeBreton Flats and downtown Ottawa, and patrolling Canada Day activities across the city. Canada Day events will be held in Barrhaven, Beacon Hill, the ByWard Market, Greely, Kanata, Petrie Island, Riverside South and Stittsville.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- CTV News
Ottawa police to equip some officers with body-worn cameras by end of the year
At least 50 Ottawa police officers will be equipped with body-worn cameras while on duty by the end of the year. The Ottawa Police Services Board was told the service was preparing to launch a body-worn camera pilot project by the end of the year while discussing the 2024 use of force data report. 'There is a lot of different opinions about body-worn cameras, but part of the goal is to get a better picture of what occurred during an incident,' Chief Eric Stubbs told the board Monday night. 'It could be a use-of-force incident, it could be evidentiary and whatnot. In terms of having more tools to understand what occurred, there's no doubt that body-worn cameras will help that. It's accountability on both sides – it's accountability for the member; it's also accountability for the citizen as well, if they do make allegations, then we can check some of that on the body-worn camera.' The Ottawa Police Service initially planned to launch a pilot project to equip officers with body cameras at the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025, but the rollout was delayed at least year a year due to financial pressures. Deputy Chief Steve Bell says while there is no recommendation from the Ottawa Police Service's use of force Committee on body-worn cameras yet, committee members have identified a 'challenge' of not having any evidence of what happened at the time of the use of force involving an officer. Bell said police are looking at deploying body-worn cameras on officers who respond to mental health and crisis intervention calls. The 2024 use of force data showed officers displayed or used force against one or more individuals in 251 incidents in 2024, down from 251 incidents in 2023. A total of 316 people were involved in use of force incidents in 2024, according to police. Staff say the most common incidents involving use of force were calls relating to weapons (16 per cent of calls), warrant execution (14 per cent), violent crime (12 per cent) and a person in crisis (12 per cent). The board was told that 'handgun drawn' and 'handgun pointed' represented the majority of use of force types by officers. The report says racialized individuals made up 57 per cent of all people involved in use of force incidents in 2024, up 11 per cent from the year before. Staff say the data shows police officers disproportionately used force against Black and Middle Eastern residents in 2024. Black and Middle Eastern people were 3.3 times more likely to be subject to police force compared to their population. 'Both Black and Middle Eastern subjects were over-represented in use of force incidents, relative to their share of Ottawa's population (3.3 times),' the report said. 'In considering when force was applied, 22 Black subjects and nine Middle Eastern subjects had force applied against them in 2024.' 'Indigenous subjects have been over-represented in use of force incidents in the past but were not over-represented in 2024, neither as subjects (11) nor as those against whom force was applied (5).' The data shows while White residents make up 68 per cent of Ottawa's population, they were involved in 43 per cent of use of force incidents with police in 2024. Black residents account for eight per cent of the population and were involved in 26 per cent of use of force incidents. Middle Eastern people were involved in 20 per cent of force incidents, while making up six per cent of the population. Police services in Ontario are required to submit a use-of-force report when an officer draws a handgun in the presence of a member of the public, points a firearm at a person or discharges a weapon, uses a weapon on another person, draws, displays or discharges a conducted energy weapon and uses physical force that results in an injury requiring medical attention.
CBC
21-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Ottawa police introduce new mounted unit
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) introduced its new mounted unit Tuesday, touting the horse force as a way to both improve community engagement and meet the practical demands of urban policing. Mounted officers on seven Clydesdales will be deployed across the city over the coming months, Chief Eric Stubbs said during a "soft launch" in front of OPS headquarters on Elgin Street. The unit will be fully operational by 2026. Stubbs said the horses are trained to remain calm in unpredictable environments including noise, large crowds and tight spaces, and said their presence can help de-escalate tense situations. "People react differently when there's an 1,800-pound [816-kilogram] horse in front of them," Stubbs said. "Tempers drop, body language shifts, and it gives our officers a chance to connect rather than confront." In a news release, the OPS said the mounted unit will "respond to a wide range of operational needs, including community patrols, crowd management, and crisis response." Mayor Mark Sutcliffe also attended Tuesday's launch, lauding the mounted unit as both a nod to tradition and a forward-thinking investment in public safety and community outreach. "One mounted officer can have the presence of a dozen on the ground," Sutcliffe said. "That's important during major events and demonstrations when visibility and crowd movement really matter." Sutcliffe said Ottawa's last mounted police unit folded in 1993. Horses needed training Stubbs credited the persistence of Const. Eric Mougeot for reviving the mounted unit. "Eric has had this vision for seven to eight years," Stubbs said. "Because of him, we're here today in terms of that drive and that passion." Idling atop seven-year-old Ripp, Mougeot said horses provide a unique opportunity to connect with the community. "It's the most efficient tool to connect with a citizen. There's no more powerful tool," he said. A police officer for 23 years and a lifelong farmer, Mougeot said he trained with a mounted unit in Toronto for 10 weeks following a longer stint with the RCMP. Staff Sgt. Stephanie Burns, another officer in charge of the mounted unit, said the horses come from all over Ontario and Quebec and had little to no training. "They were pulled out of farmers' field, they were pulled out of backyards," Burns said. "Some of them had never had a person on their back before, so the training process takes a while." Burns said the horses are taught basic manoeuvres before gradually being exposed to large crowds and loud noises including trucks and emergency vehicles. "The more busy the environment the better it is, and the quieter the horses become," Burns said. "We just gradually introduce more stressful environments and eventually the horses take it all in stride." Questions over cost, intent Lauren Shadley, a criminal defence lawyer from Montreal, noted protests are necessary for democracy but can sometimes escalate. "We need non-violent ways to de-escalate," she said. "I'm hoping that the horse unit ... can do that." OPS said the province will supply $1.4 million annually toward the mounted unit, including eight officers and eight horses, for the next three years. Justin Piché, a criminology professor at the University of Ottawa, said he'd like to see a clearer cost breakdown. "When you're spending that kind of money, you should be able to articulate where the money is going," he said. Piché also expressed concern about how the mounted unit will be deployed, especially if it's disproportionately used to control social justice demonstrations. "That's just been the history of policing and their use of protest policing in this city," he said. The seven Clydesdales currently in the OPS stable are Ace, Arran, Angus, Deputy, Rio, Ripp and Will Power, the largest horse at over 18 hands high. An eighth horse will be added. "The horses are stabled within the city and receive daily care from their handlers, including feeding, grooming, medical attention, and exercise," according to the OPS. And yes, they are approachable if you see them out in public.
Ottawa Citizen
21-05-2025
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Police Mounted Unit about to take to the streets
The public can expect to begin seeing police officers on horseback throughout the city after the Ottawa Police Mounted Unit was introduced Tuesday. Article content Article content Officers and horses will continue their training in preparation for full operations, participating in select community events and familiarizing themselves with the city's neighbourhoods and public spaces, the Ottawa Police Service said in a news release. Article content Article content It did not specify how many horses would initially be part of the unit, but said it would continue to expand and 'enhance its capabilities' leading up to becoming fully operational with eight horses and riders by 2026. An Ottawa Citizen story in November 2024 said the police planned to have four horses in service by the spring of 2025 before adding another four the next year. Article content 'This launch of the Unit marks an important step in enhancing public safety and operational efficiency, reflecting the Ottawa Police Service's commitment to improving community engagement and meeting diverse policing needs across the city,' the release read. Article content The mounted unit will allow police to engage with residents, and respond to many different operational needs, including community patrols, crowd management and crisis response, police said. Article content Article content The officers will ride Clydesdales, which were selected for their strength, intelligence and calm demeanour. Article content Article content 'We are excited to introduce this new unit, which will greatly enhance our ability to address a variety of operational challenges, from managing large events to routine patrols,' Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs said. 'It's a powerful tool for ensuring public safety while also allowing us to engage with the community in a more visible and approachable way.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
